LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) — The La Mesa community held a big fundraiser Sunday for Caleb Carvalho, a teenager who was hit by a trash truck while riding his bike to school last month.
Carvahlo was just released from the hospital this week.
"Life is going to be a bit different for a while, but I'm going to get through this," Carvahlo said.
Carvahlo said he's had three surgeries in the past month on his pelvic area, where he said he was ran over. He said he will walk again one day, but it will take a couple of years to get there.
On the week of his homecoming, Carvahlo's uncle, Nathan Swett, threw a fundraiser for him at Curbside in La Mesa.
Sunday's fundraiser had football merchandise, raffles and autograph signings by former NFL players.
Swett wanted to bring more football into his nephew's world because his life took an unexpected turn on a big day.
"It's just tragic that the day of his first home game as a freshman, he got in this accident and the thought that he might not be able to follow that now is kind of really dear to my heart," Swett said. "His spirit and demeanor through this whole thing has really impressed me. So I'm doing a lot for him, but he's also doing a lot for me."
Swett said he had many friends help him organize Sunday's fundraiser, and one even knew NFL alumni Wes Chandler, who played for the San Diego Chargers at one point and was a Florida Gator.
Carvahlo scored big on Sunday football, welcoming Chandler and a group of former players to the fundraiser where they signed autographs.
"One play, one game, one injury can change your life," Chandler said. "So we can easily relate to what is happening and going through [Caleb's] head right now. We're going to walk this walk with him. He has new teammates now. They're much older, but he has new teammates now."
Carvahlo's father, David, said that out of the many needs the family has for taking care of their son at home these next few years, a good chunk of the donations will first go towards a handicap-accessible van.
Swett says Sunday's fundraiser collected $8,000 towards supporting his nephew.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page, which you can find here.
